William Smith High School

Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the counties of Adams and A

410 Students

High School 9th - 12th

School Overview

William Smith High School, located in Aurora, Colorado, is a small, relationship-focused public high school that operates as part of the Aurora Public Schools district. Distinguished by its "expeditionary learning" philosophy, the school emphasizes a project-based curriculum where students engage in in-depth investigations of real-world topics. This approach is designed to foster critical thinking, collaboration, and personal responsibility, moving beyond traditional textbook-based instruction to prioritize hands-on application and community engagement.

The school is particularly noted for its tight-knit culture, which is intentionally structured to ensure that every student is well-known by the staff. By utilizing smaller class sizes and personalized learning plans, William Smith aims to create an inclusive environment where students feel supported as they pursue their academic and personal goals. With a focus on social-emotional growth alongside rigorous academics, the school prepares its graduates not only for post-secondary education but also to become active, contributing members of their community.

410

Total Students

24.0

Full-Time Teachers

17.1

Student/Teacher Ratio

81.5%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for William Smith High School
Demographic	Student Count
White	42
Hispanic	318
Black	25
Asian	8
Two or More	16
Pacific Islander	1

Hispanic
318 (77.6%)
White
42 (10.2%)
Black
25 (6.1%)
Two or More
16 (3.9%)
Asian
8 (2.0%)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.2%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the counties of Adams and A
Phone:	(303)364-8715
Website:	http://williamsmithhs.org
Grade Range:	9th - 12th
Total Students:	410
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	24.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	17.1
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	279
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	55

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 9 95

Grade 10 94

Grade 11 100

Grade 12 121